Rain on my parade

After a rainy and muddy spring, I finally had a few days to start building my SFG. I was anxious to start but it went very well. I managed to build the boxes with only a bit of help from my three kids. I am making my boxes double high so they will be easier to tend and will be able to grow root vegies anywhere. I made a 4x8, a 4x6 and a 2x8 from 2x6 redwood. Since I was doing this alone, I used a corner clamp to help hold the corners while I drilled. I felt such a feeling of accomplishment!

As suggested on this website, I used metal brackets to attach two stacked boxes and I even secured the corners with metal angle brackets because the corners didn't want to line up.

When my husband came home he rained on my parade... which is why I didn't include him in the building in the first place. When I showed him my handywork, he said "they look fine." Then he started telling me that the metal brackets wouldn't hold as the boards aged, wanted to know how long the screws were that I used (not long enough) and then went on to make some comments about all the knots in the wood, and so on and so on. With humor, I got him to stop but now I am worried that all my hard work will fall apart in a few years.

Today I was going to coat the boxes with some soy based sealer I found called SoyGuard and work on the water lines. No such luck. It started to rain again! I put bricks under the corners of the boxes to get them off the ground and covered them with heavy tarp.

As soon as the rain stops, I will post some pictures. In the meantime, I guess I will go to the store and get the last ingredient for the Mel's Mix.

-- Lisa

I learned a long time ago that nothing in gardening is ever really permanent. Even perennial beds need a make over now and then. If your boxes need some work in a few years, ok, so they need maintenance or replacing. but right now, your an accomplished Square Foot Garden box builder!!!
As far as the rain on the parade... well, April showers bring May flowers, you just have to get planting!!! Congratulations on a job well done.

Additionally, I learned a long time ago that I cannot please everyone. If my hubby needed to have things done just 'so', well, he can just go ahead and do that.

You should feel very proud of yourself because you took the initiative to plan it all out & do it yourself. Can't wait to see pics.

Oh, Lisa - I hear ya!
I too made my boxes all by myself; just me, myself and I! My dear hubby was the same way......well, you could've done this, you should've done that........but I am very proud of myself and think I did well.
I bet your beds look great and they'll hold up just fine. What a sense of accomplishment.
I say good for you!!

Well... no garden fresh goodies for hubby with that kind of attitude! hehe

Congrats im sure you did a great job. I make boxes out of scrap basically and use what i can find and my boxes were fine all last year and should hold up this year as well. If scrap pallet tops that were already worn when I got them can last two years I'm sure your boxes will be just fine for many years.

What I've learned already in my second year? I am GLAD that I have to redo my boxes next year because I want to change the layout and add more! Don't let him get you down!

jerzyjen wrote:Well... no garden fresh goodies for hubby with that kind of attitude! hehe

I second the motion!

Seriously though, just like the others have said, your boxes will be fine. Rumor has it that if you use new wood, it should last something like 5 years, and I'm sure sealing them will help. As for the screws, if they last long enough for you to get the boxes. As for the screws, if they hold the boxes long enough to get them to their final spot then there fine.

Let me ask you this
Did you enjoy yourself building it
If so then it is never a waste. You might be rebuilding your box in a few years from the box deteriorating or just decide you want a bigger box
My first boxes are from old 1x6 treated fence boards that were left by the previous owner of my new house. I know those will fall apart in a few years, but the time I spent building them with my family was priceless

Ok what comments is he making about the knots in the wood, he think they will fall out or something

PS just hit him in the head with the first tomato you harvest and tell him to see if he can do any better

Wow, I think you should just ignore him. He is probably feeling a blow to his manly ego because you didn't ask him to do it for you. Or he's jealous because you did better than he would have. Seriously though, all wood rots eventually, even cedar will need replacing sometime. And as Kabaju42 said, if the screws hold it long enough to get it where its going they have done their job. Good for you building your boxes though! I personally wouldn't let my husband near the power tools, I just asked for his muscles when I needed dirt moved. And feed him my beautiful veggies.